Spoiled Milk and Spilled Pie
by jesuislapamplemousse
Summary: Piper sees Eric Bragg in a MiniMart. At least, she could've sworn it was him...


**I don't own anything save the shirt on my back.**

**Tag to Season 2 "They're Everywhere"**

**The timeline is not specific.**

"_You sure you're not an angel?"_

"_No, I'm no angel. I could probably introduce you to one though."_

---

Castiel nearly got caught in the MiniMart's automatic doors. It never ceased to amaze him how human's were so innovative, only to waste it on trivialities (whose purposes were merely to promote laziness.)

He didn't dwell, anyway. Dean had been cranky at the motel, only precipitated by Sam's gloomy attitude. For some reason, one Castiel didn't particularly care to discover, the Winchesters did not like San Francisco. Castiel thought the city had a certain charm to it.

The small store was easy to navigate, every aisle marked with its contents, and Castiel quickly found the pie. It was freshly baked, sliced and set out in cartons. He picked up two. Castiel figured he'd chance at cheering up the elder brother. The angel knew it wasn't very likely to work. At the most he'd get a grunted 'Thanks' and maybe a few minutes of silence while Dean was busy eating. Castiel moved on, again not really caring to dwell, trying to find what else it was Dean said to get. He's written it down somewhere.

Castiel was looking up, at the signs, when he bumped into a petite brunette. If he judged by human standards, he'd say she was in her mid-thirties.

'Oh my God, I am so sorry. I wasn't -' her voice was somewhat irritating to the angel, so he was glad when she stopped talking. Castiel glanced down, having at least five inches on her, to see a confused expression on the woman's slim face. His eyes were drawn to the scar on her brow, an imperfection in God's handiwork. Humans were clumsy creatures.

'Eric?" she asked. Castiel found her tone wasn't nearly so irritating when she wasn't shrieking.

'Excuse me?' Castiel returned, putting to work that polite thing Dean told him to try. The woman still seemed confused, but some of it was overpowered by a sort of astonishment.

'Why are you talking like that?' she asked. Castiel figured if she wasn't being polite he didn't have to be, either. He started walking away, forgetting about the 'Hello/Good-bye' thing Dean also taught him.

'Whoa, whoa, whoa, stop right there.' The woman put her hand on Castiel's arm, stopping him from walking away. Castiel simply stared at her hand, waiting for her to remove it. She did, quickly. His gaze unsettled her. 'Don't you remember me? Ten years ago? The…park?' she rambled on. Castiel made an effort not to simply leave.

She sighed, 'I guess they wiped your brain more than I thought.' Castiel knew enough that this comment wasn't meant to be overheard by him, but only the woman's insistent tone got in the way of his inquiring about it. He didn't recall Jimmy ever traveling to San Francisco.

'Um, I'm Piper,' Piper smiled, nervously. Castiel could tell she was embarrassed, by something, but he didn't see reason. 'Still don't remember me, then?' Piper laughed quietly to herself, at herself, and continued, 'Well, I just made a gigantic fool of myself, didn't I?'

Castiel, unable to recognize her sarcastic tone, answered, 'Yes.'

Piper's face dropped into a scowl, and her left eyebrow rose. 'Someone got a little rude over the years,' she said, trying to do that muttering thing again. Castiel simply watched her, waiting until he felt it was appropriate to leave.

Castiel's ears started to ring.

'Hold that thought,' Piper held up a finger, as if it were the thought she was speaking of, and dug a cell phone out of her purse. So that was what had been ringing.

'Hello?' Castiel thought this would be an opportune time to leave, had Piper not been watching him carefully. The angel suddenly felt like a child being disciplined.

'What do you mean you lost Paige?' Piper, tone back to incredibly irritating, demanded into the phone. She glanced at Castiel, dark brown eyes watching him just as carefully as he watched her. Piper sighed theatrically, switching the phone to her other ear. She flicked her hands at Castiel, making him step back slightly. In that moment everything had gone quiet.

'Listen Phoebe, I'm coming. It's just I made an idiot out of myself and now have to find someway out…of..' Piper's eyes trailed their way back to Castiel. He was crouched on the floor, wondering why the boxes he dropped were frozen in midair. He stood back up, not noticing the witch gaping at him.

'Why aren't you frozen?' Piper shouted, making Castiel wince. Over the phone a small, tinny voice asked her who. Piper flipped the phone shut in her hand, nearly dropping it in the process.

Castiel, ignoring the pie, looked around. It wasn't simply the noise that was wrong. No one else was moving. Piper didn't smell like a demon, but that didn't mean she wasn't working with one.

'What are you?' they both asked, simultaneously. Piper sounded like she was scolding a puppy, whereas Castiel sounded like he was scolding a hellhound. The contrast was odd.

'I am an angel of the Lord,' Castiel answered abruptly, quieting Piper for a moment. Then she snorted.

'Yeah, right, like I'd believe that,' she flicked her hands at him again, though this time, Castiel felt as though he were starting to combust internally. Finding it incredibly unpleasant, he took a deep breath and shook off the unpleasant feeling. Piper looked like she had eaten sour grapes. 'Uh oh.'

Castiel leaned toward her, suddenly, and Piper yelped in surprise. The angel lowered her hands from her face, staring into her eyes. She definitely wasn't possessed. Her blood was clean. The only sort of creature he could think of to name her didn't usually have such a golden aura. He cocked his head, and Piper couldn't help but find it incredibly creepy.

'What did you say you were again?' Piper asked. She hadn't forgotten, but wanted to make sure she wasn't hallucinating.

'I am an angel,' he repeated, simply figuring she was a bit slow.

'Normally I wouldn't find it necessary, but' she paused, swallowing, 'Prove it.' Piper wished she hadn't asked as soon as the piercing ring swelled in her ears. The television that had been mounted on the ceiling filled with static, increasing in volume slongside ringing. When she noticed the nearest window starting to buckle inwards, she shouted, 'Okay, okay! I get it!'

Castiel stopped, the twitch in his fingers gone.

'What did you say your name was, angel boy?' Piper asked, rubbing her ears. She knew she should've put off getting milk until tomorrow.

'My name is Castiel.'

---

**The first of a few.**


End file.
